5 Amazing Facts About Neil Armstrong

When the then-US President Kennedy issued a call to put men on the moon before “the decade (1960) was up”, Neil Armstrong and the crew of Apollo 11 responded with mission success in 1969. But before and after the historic moon dust moment, the world’s beloved astronaut did many other things.

He Was a Military Pilot Before Becoming an Astronaut

Neil Armstrong’s fascination with flight began not in space, but in the skies. Airplanes were a part of his childhood toys and at 6, his father took him on his first plane ride.

By the time he turned 9, he was building model wooden airplanes. Soon enough, he took flying lessons at a small airport near his Ohio home and at 16, enlisted with the US Navy as a military pilot.

In that time, he flew over 200 different aircraft, and joined 78 combat missions.

Then space called.

In 1955, at the age of 25, he joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (the predecessor to NASA).

At 36, he piloted his maiden space flight on Gemini 8, where he became the first person to successfully dock two vehicles in space.

Two years later, on 20 July 1969, over 600 million people witnessed the very first moon walk.

He Was Nearly Killed in Combat

Neil Armstrong gets the keys to the X-15, the US military’s powerful new aircraft at that time

Armstrong was serving in the US Navy in the skies over North Korea, after the plane he was in was struck by anti-aircraft fire.

Before crashing, it collided with a pole, slicing off its right wing. He nearly landed in the sea, but ejected just before losing control. He was rescued unhurt and continued to fly nearly 80 more missions.

For his service, he was awarded 3 Air Medals.

He Was a University Professor

He retired from NASA in 1971 at the age of 41. Following Apollo 11, Armstrong received many offers to teach in universities across the US, and settled on the University of Cincinnati.

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